Dispenser-applicator device



June 19, 1962 c. c. HAMBLEY DISPENSER APPLI CATOR DEVICE Filed Nov. 23,1959 INVENTOR.

CLARKE c. HAM BI-EY United fitates This invention relates toimprovements in devices for the dispensing and applying of liquiddeodorants, cosmetic lotions and the like to the person. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to dispenser-applicator devices inwhich a rotatable element together with its retaining element orfitment, functions as the dispenser and applicator.

Previously, it ha been proposed to provide spherical elements as theapplicators. The spherical element applicators, by their very naturerequire, in general, a cylindrically shaped fitment and, a priori, acylindrically shaped container for the liquid to be dispensed. Whereattempts have been made to use an applicator element which deviates fromthe spherical shape, difiiculties in manufacture were encountered so asto render an applicator which deviated from the spherical shape toocostly to manufacture on a quantity basis with the proper qualitycontrol and uniformity. Further difficulties have arisen with regard tothe fitment for holding the applicator element in engagement with thecontainer in a leak-proof and air'tight manner when not in use and yetenabling the liquid to fiow freely for coating the applicator elementwhen in use.

Since the dispenser-applicator devices used heretofore employed thespherical element and the cylindrical fitment, the associated containersfor the liquid to be dis pensed and applied proved to be quite bulky andcumbersome. The size and shape of the container are controlled by theshape of the applicator and by the quantity of liquid to be stored inthe container. Hence, it was not usually feasible for a woman to carryone of the prior art dispenser-applicator devices in an evening bag, orin one of the smaller types of womens handbags or purses, nor was itfeasible for a man to carry one of the prior art dispenser-applicatordevices on his person in a pocket of his outerclothing, without creatingan unsightly bulge.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide adispenser-applicator for liquid deodorants, cosmetic lotions and thelike, which will overcome the aforemen tioned disadvantages and toprovide a dispenser-applicator for liquid deodorants, cosmetic lotionsand the like, which will provide for a greater useable applicatorsurface area than is obtainable with an equivalent diameter sphericalapplicator.

A further object of this invention is to provide an ellipsoiddispenser-applicator and a container having a substantially rectangularor oblate elliptical cross-section so as to have a width considerablygreater than its depth.

Another object of this invention is to provide an applicator which canbe rough molded to form the ellipsoidal shape and then run through anautomatic milling machine to form the finished ellipsoidal applicatorwith precise tolerances and yet enable the production of the applicatorsin quantity.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an ellipsoidalapplicator which cooperates with a fitment holding the applicator inengagement with the container for liquid to present the liquid for useas a coating or a thin film on the applicator, and which can be placedin sealing engagement with each other and with a cap for the containerto prevent leakage of liquid from the container during storage ortransport.

A further object of this invention is to provide a disatentpenser-applicator in which both the cap or cover and the fitment engagethe container by means of a snap-on con- "ice nection so that the cover,applicator and fitment form a tight-sealing unit with the container. toprevent the escape of the liquid.

In pursuance of the foregoing objects, the invention proposes to providean allipsoidal applicator which is held to the container by a fitmentwhich engages the container by means of a snap-on connection. A coverwhich encloses the fitment and ellipsoidal applicator when the dispenseris not in use also engages the container by means of a snap-onconnection. Since an allipsoidal applicator is used a substantially fiatcontainer or bottle may be used so that a smaller depth is required forstorage of the container and a greater applicator area is obtainable.

In a preferred form of the present invention, the ellipsoidal applicatoris provided with indentations at the opposite ends of its major axis andthe fitment is provided with an ellipsoidal seat portion having aliquid-dispensing opening, the applicator being rotatably mounted in thefitment in closely spaced relation to the seat portion and in overlyingrelation to the opening. The fitment is provided with projections in theform of axle pins or pivot elements for engagement with theaforementioned indentations. The pivot elements engage the indentationsto permit the applicator to rotate with respect to the fitment todeliver a metered quantity of liquid through the space between thefitment seat portion and the applicator, the container to the applicatorsurface. Proper sealing between the applicator and the fitment seatportion is obtained since the ellipsoid can now be manufactured to veryclose tolerances. The indentations on the ends of the applicator areused to support the same on a milling machine after the applicator hasbeen rough cast. The indentations in addition to enabling the applicatorto be rough cast and then machined to close tolerances provide apreferred sealing and rotatable engagement of the applicator with thefitment seat portion.

The objects, advantages and nature of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description of the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, shown by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid dispenser in accordance withthis invention having a substantially oblate ellipsoidal shape having awidth which is greater than its depth;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the liquid dispenser shown in itsclosed condition with the cap and fitment in engagement with thecontainer so as to position the ellipsoidal applicator in its sealingposition;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the fitment with the ellipsoidal applicatorand cap removed;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale with aportion of the cap removed and the ellipsoidal applicator shown in itsdispensing condition with respect to the fitment;

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical fragmentary sectional view taken on line5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an end view of the applicator when removed from the liquiddispenser.

Referring now more particularly to the figures of the drawing whichillustrates the presently preferred mode now contemplated by me forcarrying out the invention, the liquid dispenser 10 comprises acontainer 12 having a non-circular or elliptically-shaped base, and acap or cover 14 therefor.

The liquid dispenser is generally flat-shaped so as to form an oblateellipsoid thereby providing a shape which has a width substantiallygreater than its depth. Container 12 is provided with anelliptically-shaped neck portion 16 defining a non-circular orelliptically-shaped opening provided with a pair of circumferentiallyextending grooves 18 and 2t? and a pair of peripherally projectingtongue elements 22 and 24 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

Positioned between cap 14 and container 12 in the closed condition ofthe liquid dispenser 10 is a non-circular fitment 30 and anellipsoidally shaped liquid applicator 32 coupled to the fitment forrotation relative thereto. Both cover 14 and fitment 36 are made fromsuitable resilient plastic material, such as polyethylene, to provide acertain degree of flexibility while providing a tight sealing engagementwith the neck portion 16. Fitment 36- has an outer surface shaped in theform of a truncated-ellipsoid and a pair of oppositely disposed innersurfaces shaped in the form of an ellipsoid. Cap 14 is provided at itsopen end with a peripherally extending circumferential portion 34 havingan inner groove 36 and outer tongue portion or rib portion 38 forsnap-fit engagement with container 12. When cap 14 is placed into closedengagement with container 12, tongue 24 engages inner groove 36 andgroove 18 receives tongue portion 38 to provide a fluid-tight engagementbetween container 12 and cap 14. Container 12 may be made of anysuitable material, such as rubber, polyethylene or glass.

Applicator 32 which may be made of glass or any other suitable hardplastic is held within and retained by fitment 30 between a lower cavityforming surface portion 42 and an upper surface portion 44 thereof. Theterms lower and upper as used herein with reference to portions of thefitment 3t relate to portions below and above, respectively, thehorizontal plane containing the major axis of the applicator 3 2 as seenin FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing. Lower surface portion 42 is providedwith an opening 46 to permit the liquid in the container 12 to be pickedup by the applicator 32 and dispensed through an opening 48 provided inthe upper surface portion 44. Fitment 30 which is releasably coupled tocontainer 12 in a manner similar to cap 12 is shaped in the form of aninverted cup element with a base portion and a circumferentiallycontinuous side portion projecting therefrom which is provided with aperipherally extending circumferential outer portion or rib portion 50having an inner groove 52 and an outer tongue or rib portion 54 toprovide a snapfit engagement with tongue 22 and groove 20, respectively,to provide a fluid-tight engagement between container 12 and portion 59.A shoulder portion 56 is provided on the peripherally extendingcircumferential portion 50 for engagement with the top portion of tongue22 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 3 of the drawing it will be seenthat the bottom opening 46 is smaller than the top opening 48. Opening46 is the liquid receiving opening and opening 48 is the liquiddispensing opening. Upper portion 44 is sufficiently flexible to distendthe ends for insertion of applicator 32 yet resilient enough to retainthe same for rotation about its major axis.

A preferred form of applicator 32 and fitment 3% is shown in FEGS. 2 and4 of the drawing in which fitment 30 is provided with a pair of axlepins or pivot elements 58 for engagement with a pair of indentations 6t?provided in applicator 32. The line which passes through the pivotelements 58 defines an axis about which applicator 32 rotates whendispensing the liquid in container 12. Applicator 32 is non-sphericaland shaped in the form of an ellipsoid, and the inner portions of lowersurface portion 42 and upper surface portion 44 closely conform to theshape of the applicator 32 leaving only a substantially hairline spacetherebetween into which liquid can flow through opening 46 from thecontainer 12 for coating the applicator surface at either side of theopening 46. Cap 14 when engaged with container 12 presses upon theapplicator and closes the hairline space to prevent any 7 liquid fromentering the hairline space through opening 46. The interiorconfiguration of fitment fail is also shaped in the form of anellipsoid.

The shape of the ellipsoidal applicator 32 is fairly critical since itseals against the fiment 3t and as shown in FIG.

4 6 the ends of the applicator are provided with the indentations 65.When manufacturing the applicator, it is possible to first rough cast ormold it with the indentations 5t) and then place the rough castapplicator on a milling machine with the applicator 32 being supportedby means of the indentations at) on the spindles of the milling machine, to smooth and polish the applicator surface to a high degree ofsmoothness. It will be apparent that since the applicator 32 is tocontact the human body any abrasive portion or burr which is left onapplicator 32 will prove to be detrimental to the proper and desired useof the applicator. Problems of this nature do not arise when a spheroidis used since the problems of milling a spheroid are different from theproblems of milling an 15 ellipsoid.

In addition to providing a dispenser which has a desirable fiattened orstreamline contour, the dispensing operation and sealing operation isimproved when using an ellipsoid applicator. Referring now moreparticularly to FIG. 4 of the drawing, it will be seen that pivots 58are always engaged with indentations 66 to provide an extended seal areabetween the ends of applicator 32 and the pivots 58 of fitment 30whether or not cap 14 is engaged with container 12. Furthermore, pivots58 are also effective to secure the applicator 32 to the fitment 30. Theupper surface portion 44 alone also performs a securing function and apartial sealing function with applicator 32. However, even without uppersurface portion 44, pivots 58 are effective to secure the applicator 32to fitment 30. When cap 14 is removed, pivot elements 58 serve tomaintain the portion of applicator 32 in closely spaced relation to thelower surface portion 42 so that, although a hairline space is providedbetween lower surface portion 42 and the opposed surface 35 ofapplicator 32, no liquid will leak out between the container 12 andapplicator 32. During normal use, the hairline opening forms a reservoirand permits a balladhering layer of liquid such as deodorant, lotion orthe like, to be picked up by substantially the entire surface of theapplicator 32 for application to the body surface by rolling movement ofthe applicator along such surface. When a moderate pressure is exertedon applicator 32, as by means of the cap 14, the applicator is then'brought into sealing contact with the lower surface 42 45 therebyclosing the hairline opening to prevent any liquid from passing betweensurface 42 and applicator 32. The pressure on applicator 32 istransmitted also to shoulder 56 which bears against the upper surface oftongue 22 to prevent any vertical movement of fitment 30 with respect tocontainer 12 and thus ensure a liquidtight seal at this point. It willtherefore be seen that fitment 30 and applicator 32 in their compressedpositions provide a fluid-tight engagement therebetween. Cap or cover 14which has an ovaloid inverted cup-shaped configuration, is provided toeffect a further sealing of container 12 in addition to continuing thecontinuity of the streamline configuration of the dispenser 10. In FIGS.2 and 5 of the drawing, which illustrate cap 14 in engagement withcontainer 12, applicator 32 is shown engaged with inner surface 62 ofthe base of cap 14. When cap 14 is snapped upon container 12 with groove36 and tongue 38 engaged with tongue 24 and groove 18, respectively,inner surface 62 is effective to exert a heavy pressure on applicator 32to cause the same to enter into 65 sealing engagement with lower surface42. When cap 14 is in its closed condition on container 12, it exertspressure on tongue 24 to cause rib portion 50 to exert radial pressureon peripherally extending circumferential 0 portion 22 and engagetightly therewith, thus to further assist in providing an effective sealtherebetween. Cap 14 is removed from container 12 by pressing the sidesof the cap inwardly while simultaneously exerting a polling action toseparate the cap from the container. More- 7 over, not only does the ribportion 50 engage the inner surface of the side portion of the cap 14 inthe engaged position of the cap with the container to provide afluidtight seal, but the rib portion also forms a pivot edge tofacilitate removal of the cap from the container. Since fitment 30 isalso made with the snap-fit engageable tongue and groove elements,container 12 may be made as a reusable container refillable with theliquid to be dispensed.

While there has been shown what is at present con sidered to be thepreferred embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid-dispensing article comprising a container having anelliptical neck defining a dispensing opening; a fitment including anelliptical base portion and a circumferentially continous side portionprojecting from said base portion; engagement means on said side portionfor coupling said fitment to said neck in fluid-tight sealingengagement; said base portion having an inner substantially ellipsoidalseat portion forming an ellips oidal cavity, said seat portion having aliquid-receiving opening leading to said cavity and a liquid-dispensingopening leading from said cavity, said seat portion also including apair of oppositely disposed pivot elements; and an ellipsoidalapplicator disposed in, and substantially filling, said cavity; saidellipsoidal applicator provided in alignment with the major axis thereofwith a pair of oppositely disposed indentations, said pivot elementsproviding sealing engagement with said applicator and securing saidapplicator in relation to said seat portion, whereby said ellipsoidalapplicator is mounted in said fitment for rotation relative thereto onthe major ellipsoidal axis and for displacement bodily relative to saidfitment in a direction normal to said axis between a fluid-sealingposition in which it is in sealing engagement with said seat portion anda fluid-dispensing position in which it is in closely spaced relationto' said seat portion.

2. An article according to claim 1, in which said seat portion is offlexible plastic material and includes an upper and lower portion eachhaving an inner surface in closely spaced relation to said applicator;said pivot elements projecting from the common juncture of the innersurfaces of said upper and lower portions; said upper portion providingsecuring engagement with said applicator and substantially sealingengagement therewith; said applicator and each said surfaces defining ahairline opening therebetween, and said applicator and said lowersurface closing the hairline opening therebetween when a moderatepressure is applied to said applicator.

3. A liquid dispenser comprising a container having a neck defining anelliptical dispensing opening; a support member of flexible plasticmaterial having an elliptical horizontal cross-section on said containerin sealing engagement therewith having an axial bore axially alignedwith said opening, said support having a lower surface forming, at oneend of said bore, a liquid-receiving opening and an inwardly projectingseat and an upper surface forming, at the opposite end of said bore, aliquiddispensing opening and an inwardly projecting rim portion axiallyspaced from said lower surface; said support also including a pair ofaxle pins axially aligned and oppositely disposed; an ellipsoidal ballapplicator interposed between said upper and said lower surfaces, saidellipsoidal applicator ball having a pair of oppositely facing openingsaxially aligned with and engaged with said pair of axle pins wherebysaid applicator is rotatably coupled about its major axis to saidsupport; said axle pins being effective to secure and seal said ball tosaid support at the engaging surfaces between said pins and said facingopenings; said upper surface holding said ball in alignment with saidopening and against rotation about its minor axis, said lower surfaceand said upper surface for a portion thereof defining with said ball asubstantially hairline space; and a closure cap of flexible plasticmaterial having a side portion in sealing engagement with the side ofsaid container and a base portion engageable with said ball to force thesame into engagement with said lower surface to provide a fluid-tightseal with the same.

4. A liquid dispenser according to claim 3, in which said support memberincludes a base portion and an elliptical cylindrical side portionprojecting therefrom, said base portion includes said upper and saidlower surfaces, and said side portion includes flexible and resilientmeans for removably coupling said support member to said container atthe neck thereof.

5. A liquid dispenser according to claim 4, in which said side portionis provided with first and second peripherally projecting tongues andfirst and second outer peripheral grooves; said flexible and resilientmeans is provided with a first inner circumferential groove and a firstinwardly projecting tongue member; and said side portion of said cap isprovided with a second inner circumferential groove and a secondinwardly projecting tongue member, said first inner groove and saidfirst tongue member being resiliently engageable by said first tongueand said first outer groove, respectively, to provide a snap-fitengagement of said support membe with said container, said second innergroove and said second tongue member being resiliently engageable bysaid second tongue and said outer groove, respectively, to provide asnap-fit engagement of said closure cap with said container; thesnap-fit engagements of said support member and said closure cap withsaid container providing a fluidtight seal in the engaged position, andsaid side portions of said support member and said closure cap beingsufficiently resilient to facilitate removal of said closure cap andsaid support member.

6. A liquid dispenser according to claim 5, in which said side portionof said support member includes an outer rib portion, said rib portionengages the inner surface of the side portion of said closure cap in theengaged position thereof with said container to provide a fluidtightseal; said rib also forming a pivot edge to facilitate removal of saidclosure cap from said container.

7. A liquid-dispensing article, comprising: a container having a neckdefining a dispensing opening; a fitment including a base portion and acircu-mferentially continuous side portion projecting from said baseportion; engagement means on said side portion for coupling said fitmentto said neck in fluid-tight sealing engagement; said base portion havingan inner substantially ellipsoidal seat portion forming an ellipsoidalcavity, said seat portion also having a liquid-receiving openingcommunicating with said cavity through said seat portion, and asubstantially elliptical liquid-dispensing opening leading from saidcavity; an ellipsoidal applicator disposed in, and substantiallyfilling, said cavity, said applicator being mounted in said fitment forrotation relative thereto about the major ellipsoidal axis of saidapplicator and for movement between -a compressed fluid-sealing positionand an uncompressed fluid dispensing position; said applicator alsoprovided in alignment with the major axis thereof with a pair ofoppositely disposed indentations; said seat portion including an uppermember and a lower member each having an inner surface in closely-spacedrelation to said applicator, said seat portion also including a pair ofoppositely disposed pivot elements alignable with said indentations,said pivot elements engaging said indentations to provide sealingengagement with said applicator and to rotatably mount said applicatorin relation to said seat portion and to said surfaces of said upper andlower members; said applicator and each of said inner surfaces defininga hairline opening therebetween when said applicator is in saiduncompressed position, the curvature of said inner surfaces of each saidupper and lower members conforming generally to the curvature of saidellipsoidal applicator, whereby a displacement of said applicator,inwardly into said cavity, in a direction normal to said axis, will movesaid applicator into a compressed fluid-sealing position in which saidapplicator is in sealing engagement with said inner surface of saidlower member of said seal: portion and whereby a displacement of saidapplicator in the opposite direction will move said applicator into anuncompressed fluid dispensing position in which it is in closely-spacedrelation to the inner surface of said upper member of said seat portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSeekers Nov. 8, 1949 Whitney Feb. 18, 1958 Williams June 30, 1959Gentile Feb. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Franc/e Apr. 14, 1947 France Dec.12, 1949 France June 14, 1950 France Apr. 22, 1953

